Answer extracted from the Pegasus Radio podcast — listen to the full episode below.
How does senior-level job placement in construction differ from entry-level recruitment?
At senior levels, you won't secure positions by submitting CVs to job boards. Instead, employers want recommendations from people they'll actually work with, backed by proven track records of success. Personal relationships and trust from past collaborators become the decisive factor in landing senior roles.
The CV Problem at Senior Level
In entry-level construction recruitment, a well-crafted CV and job application can open doors. The hiring process is relatively standardized: you apply, your qualifications are reviewed, and you're invited to interview if they match the role requirements.
At senior level, this mechanism breaks down entirely. As explored in detail in this episode of Pegasus Radio, employers hiring for senior positions don't rely on application systems. They're filling roles where your technical knowledge is assumed—what they need is assurance that you can collaborate effectively with their team and deliver under their specific circumstances.
Relationships and Referrals as the Real Currency
The shift happens because senior roles carry higher stakes and require cultural fit that no CV can demonstrate. Hiring managers at that level want to know you've already proven yourself alongside people they trust and respect.
This is why Lionel Dore's career—24 years at Davis Belfield and Everest, Davis Langdon, and eventually becoming a partner at Davis Langdon and Acom—created such a strong foundation for his international moves. His reputation within the industry and recommendations from established collaborators gave him credibility that no application could replicate.
Recommendations from past colleagues essentially become your credentials. When someone you've worked with says "I know this person, I'd work with them again," that referral carries infinitely more weight than a CV. It's a shorthand for reliability, competence, and cultural alignment.
"You're going to get very few jobs through putting a CV into a job application—they want recommendations from the people you'll likely be working with."
Lionel Dore — Founder, Port Cullis LLC; former Partner, Davis Langdon and Acom. Lionel spent 24 of his 25 years in London at Davis Belfield and Everest and Davis Langdon before relocating to Dubai and then the United States, where he has since worked on infrastructure projects ranging from $400 million to $4–5 billion in value.
If you want to understand how this plays out in practice—including how Lionel navigated international career transitions and the specific visa pathways that enabled his moves between the UK, Dubai, and the United States—the full episode explores these dynamics in detail.
See also
What visa pathway did Lionel Dore use to establish a business in the United States?
Lionel used an E2 investor treaty to move to the United States. This visa requires applicants to either form a business with a very good business plan or invest in an existing business.
What is the current state of US infrastructure investment and funding?
Infrastructure in the US generally receives a D grade from an annual report. The country needs billions and billions of dollars spent on infrastructure but lacks sufficient government funding.
What is the structure and benefit of Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) and Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain (DBFOM) in US infrastructure?
P3s allow states to leverage private money for infrastructure projects when they lack government funding. With DBFOM, the private developer builds, finances, operates, and maintains projects while the public sector retains ownership.